Yvalia Febrer

I oversee the Social Work and Social Care pre-qualifying courses here at Kingston University. I also serve on the Faculty's Education Committee and Teaching & Learning Forum, and am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. From 2017 - 2020 I represented the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education on the University's Senate. Integrating Kingston University's Inclusive Curriculum Principles across the BA (Hons) Working With Children & Young People: Social Pedagogy course, I won an Inclusive Curriculum Bursary in 2019 and used funds to explore students' perceptions of inclusiveness at Kingston through short self-made videos. In June 2022 I won a Provost's Award for Learning & Teaching Excellence, and in August 2023 was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in recognition of achievement and impact in social care. 

Book Chapters:

Chapter 3 Using Enhanced Relationship Skills in Practice, in Assessing Disorganised Attachment Behaviour in Children: An Evidence-Based Model for Understanding and Supporting Families, edited by Shemmings & Shemmings (2014), Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Filmed lecturers: 

‘Thresholds in Children's Services', Online MA in Child Protection, Kent University

Live Panel Debates:

Expert Panellist on BBC2 series Protecting Our Children

Qualifications and expertise

• National Teaching Fellow (2023)
• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2017)
• Qualified Practice Educator, Social Work
• Honorary Lecturer, University of Kent, Centre for Child Protection (2010 - 2016)

Undergraduate courses taught

• Social Work BA (Hons)
• Working with Children & Young People: Social Pedagogy BA (Hons)

Postgraduate courses taught

• Master of Social Work (MSW)

I am currently undertaking joint research with a colleague in our Education Department, exploring Social Pedagogy and Citizenship Education. 

Amit Puni and Yvalia Febrer. Social pedagogy and citizenship education in England: an exploration with case studies involving secondary school students in London. IJSP. 2023. Vol. 12(1). DOI: 10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2023.v12.x.007

Qualifications and expertise

• Editor, International Journal of Social Pedagogy (UCL Press)
• Vice-Chair, Social Pedagogy Professional Association

Areas of specialism

• Social Pedagogy
• Children and Families Social Work
• Child and Adult Attachment
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Scholarly affiliations

• Social Pedagogy Journal Club
• International Journal of Social Pedagogy
• Social Pedagogy Global Alliance
• Social Pedagogy Professional Association for the UK and Ireland

I lead a partnership with a regional employer, to exchange valuable knowledge in social care and education. This is a six year partnership completing in 2027. 

Areas of interest

• Social Care practice
• Residential Care practice

I collaborate with the Kingston University Enterprise & Education Teams, Employability & Careers Service, the Developing Together Teaching Partnership, and Feltham Convening Partnership to deliver professional practice experiences and knowledge exchange for students. I have incorporated employer-collaboration into teaching and learning, assessment, and practice experience, working with partners such as the Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Independent Youth Counsellors, and have redesigned practice experience on the BA (Hons) Working With Children & Young People: Social Pedagogy course. 

Articles (selected)

Guardian Social Care:

‘Why I left the front line for Frontline' 2013

Community Care Magazine:

‘Tools Social Workers can use to talk to children' 2011

Community Care Website:

‘What difference has Munro made to frontline Social Work?' 2012

‘Will Protecting Our Children have any impact on Social Work?' 2012

‘Language and Communication in Child Protection Post-Munro' 2012

‘Protecting Our Children: The spearhead of a new movement?' 2012

‘Being an Oxbridge Social Worker' 2013

Qualifications and expertise

• Inclusive Curriculum Bursary, 2019
• Provost's Award for Learning & Teaching Excellence, 2022
• National Teaching Fellowship, 2023

Professional and scholarly affiliations

• Social Pedagogy Professional Association - Vice Chair
• International Journal of Social Pedagogy - Editor
• Global Alliance for Social Pedagogy and Social Education - Founding Member
• Developing Together Teaching Partnership - Associate
• Social Pedagogy Journal Club - Member